The Apostate Church

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.” (Revelation 3:1-2 ESV)

We had my dad’s funeral on Thursday the 25th. He died on Saturday the 20th. The funeral was more of a celebration of my dad’s life than anything else. My dad had 13 siblings all older than him. All but one of them preceded him in death. Some of them were adults with children of their own when my dad was born in 1924. My grandfather was a remarkable man. He was born in 1877 and became a preacher of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in the 1890’s in Indian Territory, which is now Oklahoma. My mother allowed me to take some of the things stored in her house that had belonged to my dad. One prized possession I have with me now is my grandfather’s bible from which he preached well into the 1950’s. It is full of notes and his own cross-references. However, there is one thing in the bible that no one, apparently, knew was there. It is a letter written to him from one of his sisters, Lucy. It had to have been written to him either in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s since she died around that time. Below is a quote from it that I found especially fitting in light of the present condition of the visible church.

Enjoyed your letter very much even if you thought otherwise about it. It sounded like the J.A. (my grandfather’s initials) of long ago. I agree with you about the condition of most of the churches of today. The spiritual drouth (sp) is not coming but is here. However, our Lord does bless His children here & there in spite of all the backsliders as He has here in Shidler these last two weeks. A lot were saved & backsliders renewed. Believe it or not, I saw a lot of tears.

The preacher was very good and could drive God’s Word home to hearts better than anyone I have heard for the longest. From the newscast today this old world is in a turmoil. Earthquakes & hurricanes…& the so called faith healers are going like a grass fire, but all these things don’t disturb the people who do know their God & His Word, but rather strengthens their faith & brings joy to their hearts knowing He is coming soon.

Well here it is Monday 24th. Saw 20, most of them men & women, baptized last night, but I’m wondering about their growth in Grace as the Church is not what it should be.

The apostasy that my grandfather and his sister were discussing had to do with a temporal focus within churches. People were simply being religious. There was little evidence of the working of the Holy Spirit in the people’s lives. In other words the transforming work of Sanctification (Romans 12:1-2) was not in evidence. Churches may have been stable in growth or even growing, but the focus within was on religiosity rather than the Cross of Christ and preaching the Gospel and the spiritual growth of believers. According to some sources I have read about this, many mark this era of apostasy as having begun in around 1900 and has only downgraded from there. The fruit of rank apostasy that calls itself true Christianity that we have all around us now has sprung from these apostate roots. However, God has sustained and keeps faithful His remnant throughout all of these difficult spiritual times.

In Revelation 3 there are three letters to three churches. The first letter is to the church at Sardis. The second letter is to the church at Philadelphia. The third letter is to the church at Laodicea. It is fascinating to see the contrasts between these three churches.

Our Lord tells Sardis in v1, ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.’ However, in v4 He says, ‘Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.’ Then in v5 He says, ‘The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.’ The words “The one who conquers” are the Greek words, ο νικων. The word νικων, “one conquering” is based on the word νικος, which means victory. Νικων, then, is describing one who “gets the victory.” These are the ones who, even in the midst of apostate times, remain faithful, grow in Christ, and do not compromise with the growing apostasy all around them regardless of the pressures put on them to do so.

The contrast between the church at Sardis and the one in Philadelphia is striking. Our Lord said to them:

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie–behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.” (Revelation 3:7-12 ESV)

What we have here is a church νικων regardless of the fiery trials they are enduring. They are not compromising with the pressures of apostasy, but are overcoming or conquering in their obedience and faithfulness. They are cross-centered. They are keeping our Lord’s Word. In other words, they would be right along side those of us who stand firm with the necessity of adhering to Sola Scriptura. The promise to believers here is not that they will be kept from suffering, but that they will be sustained in the midst of it by the grace of God.

Then we have the last letter to the church at Laodicea, the lukewarm church. I call this the apostate church or the deceived church.

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Revelation 3:14-21 ESV)

This church thinks it is right in the middle of God’s will. It thinks it is in fine shape. The people think they are rich in God, but are paupers. They are spiritual, but it is not Christian. It is of the flesh and the devil. They claim they are the ones doing Christianity the right way, but are blind or deceived into not seeing the truth of their spiritual bankruptcy, which is that they are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. These are not regenerate people. They are not Christians, but are only religious. They are being called to faith by our Lord so that, by His grace, they would be able to “buy” gold refined by fire, so that they would be rich and white garments so they would be clothed and salve to anoint their eyes so that they may see. This is describing what real Christians have while the apostate, so-called Christians are really only pretenders who have nothing. What is their solution? They are being called to hear the truth and repent. This is the result of hearing the preaching of the truth from God’s Word as the Holy Spirit applies it to the heart. They are being called to hear this, believe, and repent.

My brethren, I am convinced that in our time, most of what is called Christian is either like Sardis or Laodicea. There are very few Philadelphias out there. What we are being called to do is to stand firm and be overcomers regardless of what those all around us are doing. In this, we pray for the backsliders and false Christians to hear the truth, believe, and repent. We pray for the false Christian leaders to be exposed and rebuked. We pray for God to continue to preserve us as He works out His plan for the Church. God’s will be done!

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18 thoughts on “The Apostate Church”

Mike,
I am so sorry to hear about your dad. I will keep your family in my prayers. Thank you for continuing to press on in bringing the Lord’s truth to us. It helps so much, as there are many of us who cannot find a truly biblical local church.

Thank you Kathy. Yes, we are in a true spiritual drought with true biblical local churches being harder and harder to find. God is still good to those who love and serve Him. He will feed and sustain us.

Sorry for your loss and rejoicing for your Dads gain as he goes on to glory in Christ! So glad your back and I know I speak for many when I say that your function in the body was greatly missed! What an amazing gift was past on to you! (Grandfathers Bible) Imagine the hours of study and prayer and strengthening from the Holy Spirit to fight the same fight YOU are called to fight today!!! Amen! Glad your back!

I extend my sympathy as well concerning your loss. It was so good to read of the godly heritage passed down through the generations in your family. The letter you shared from many years ago could well have been written today. Always good to check in with your blog several times a week.

Thank you Heather! I am glad to be back. Please continue to pray for me in this ministry. The attacks from our enemy have been especially severe lately… Of course, I have found that these attacks nearly always precede a moving of the Holy Spirit in us in this work. God’s will be done!

Thank you Sharon! Yes, I was amazed when I read that letter how relevant to our time it was. You also mentioned something that I heard a great deal all week as I was reunited with relatives from both sides of my family who commented on how deep the godly heritage is in our family. We are truly blessed. I have some who have married into our family who comment on this quite a bit and have stated how much they miss my dad and mom together because that was an anchor of godliness and solidity that they nor anyone else they knew had in their families. Yes, I miss my dad very much already. I pray that I will be that anchor for my family like my dad was.

Hi Mike, Glad you are back. Our prayers were with you. Your post is remarkably like A.W.Pinks thoughts on the condition of the ‘church’. It is an epidemic for sure. And waxing worse and worse I might add!

Amen Paul and Luann. The Pastor who preached my dad’s funeral came out of retirement to do so. He is nearly as old as my parents. In any case, he preached the gospel and commented on how this sin sick world is waxing worse and worse and how the church has become contaminated by it. I am so happy for my dad that he is out of it and with our Saviour now.

So sorry to hear of the loss of your dad. So glad to hear of assurance of his salvation.
I just read about these same churches today in Revelation. It is “waxing worse and worse”….. I never dreamed I would see some of the things I have seen lately. It is a time of GREAT apostasy. What a comfort to rest in God’s Sovereignty.

I’m so sorry for your loss Mike. Each generation grieves over the lukewarm church, it seems! Your Dad is in glory with Jesus…REJOICE…and press on towards the high calling of preaching the TRUTH of God’s word. Amen!

Therefore, I urge you brothers through the compassions of God to present your bodies as living, holy sacrifices, well pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service. And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may discern the will of God, that which is good and well pleasing and perfect.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. (Colossians 1:24-26 ESV)

The way of escape

"To believe that He will preserve us is, indeed, a means of preservation. God will certainly preserve us, and make a way of escape for us out of the temptation, should we fall. We are to pray for what God has already promised. Our requests are to be regulated by His promises and commands. Faith embraces the promises and so finds relief." - John Owen

How to be free from bondage to our flesh and temptation

"If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: 'God, preserve my soul, and keep my heart and all its ways so that I will not be entangled.' When this is true in our lives, a passing temptation will not overcome us. We will remain free while others lie in bondage." - John Owen

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About me

My name is Mike Ratliff. I am a δοῦλος (slave) of the Κύριον ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν (Lord Jesus Christ.) I have been a Bible teacher since the late 1980's. I am currently learning Koine Greek, which I began in 1992 and will continue to do so until the Lord takes me home. I am Reformed in my theology because I recognize that God is Sovereign over all things. I write these posts as God directs. I am also part of the discernment team at Christian Research Network.

OTHERS MAY, YOU CANNOT

by G. D. Watson

If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-25

If God has called you to be truly like Jesus in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. He will put on you such demands of obedience that you will not be allowed to follow other Christians. In many ways, He seems to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Others who seem to be very religious and useful may push themselves, pull wires, and scheme to carry out their plans, but you cannot. If you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag about themselves, their work, their successes, their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. If you begin to do so, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money, or having a legacy left to them, or in having luxuries, but God may supply you only on a day-to-day basis, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, a helpless dependence on Him and His unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward while keeping you hidden in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.

God may let others be great, but keep you small. He will let others do a work for Him and get the credit, but He will make you work and toil without knowing how much you are doing. Then, to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work which you have done; this to teach you the message of the Cross, humility, and something of the value of being cloaked with His nature.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, and with a jealous love rebuke you for careless words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and has a right to do as He pleases with His own, and that He may not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you.

God will take you at your word. If you absolutely sell yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love and let other people say and do many things that you cannot. Settle it forever; you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue or chaining your hand or closing your eyes in ways which others are not dealt with. However, know this great secret of the Kingdom: When you are so completely possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven, the high calling of God.